Center of the Universe
by Lord Panda
Summary: If the people refuse to see us as equals, then we will rise above them. ChrolloOC
1. Chapter 1

**The Past, The Present, and the Future (But Mostly the Past)**

 _Chrollo: We meet again._

 _Silva: You remember me?_

 _Chrollo: How could I forget? You killed one of my people._

 _\- Hunter x Hunter (2011), Episode 52_

* * *

 ** _The End._**

Fuck. _Fuuuuck._ They were so _fucked._

The ground looked hazy as she lifted her head up. The bigger issue was that her head pounded and her vision was shaking from the pain. But still, she needed to fight. She spat out the dirt and blood in her mouth and willed herself to get up. It was a tedious process. _First, the right arm._ She brought her right arm close to her body, propping her shoulder up. The effort it took was tremulous and she had to bow her head from exhaustion. She caught a glimpse of her arm. There were numerous scratches, each fresh, bleeding, and susceptible to infections. And it was raining too. Her elbow dug into the mud as she rested weight on it. She growled. She was going to need antiseptic after this… if she lived after this. She looked up again.

She tried to get her left arm to move, but it only shot pain through her body. That wasn't what she wanted. _Fuck._ Another attempt to draw her arms close to support her body only caused her to collapse entirely; her pain tolerance only went so far. _Fuck._

"I suppose you deserve credit for lasting so long."

"H-Ha… and I'll last a lot longer… than you… once you're dead." Not a good comeback. And a lie too, probably. She was the one lying on the muddy ground, red pouring from every inch of her body like a fountain. He had few small bruises all over his body and large cuts on both his arms, nearly deep enough to expose bone, but he looked like the epitome of health compared to her. His expression betrayed nothing of pain. _Monster_ , she thought, almost jokingly.

"I like your attitude," he smirked, crossing his arms as he stood in front of the dying girl. "It's a shame you had to die so soon."

"Tch, don't feel bad… you picked the job…" she tried to laugh bitterly, but only coughed up more blood. She was really dying.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. He was doing his job and she had been doing hers. It was regretful he did his better.

"Hey… is she really… dead?" she gritted out, wincing at the pain it took to even talk.

She meant the other girl. The man was silent as he spared a glance at the other one, also black-haired and covered in numerous cuts. She lied underneath a tree, eyes closed, motionless. They looked exactly alike, the two girls. He had not been able to distinguish between them earlier, when he was purely working off of the pictures his client gave. _"Mayu has blue eyes and Aya has green eyes."_ It appeared to be the only difference, up until he began fighting them. Their attitudes and actions… it was apparent they were complements more than copies of each other.

The eyes looking up at him now were electric green though they appeared darker now under the gray sky. "Yes. She's dead."

The information appeared come with a finality that allowed Aya to resign completely. It was like he just stomped out the light of a dimly lit cigarette. The proud smile she wore at the beginning of the fight withered away, leaving in its place, a faded memory.

"I deserve this then…" It barely came out as a whisper.

"No," he corrected her. If Aya still had the energy to emote, she would have probably looked surprised. The man stared into her half-closed eyes. If she had lived longer, was wiser, got stronger, then perhaps she would have had a chance. He knelt down beside her. "You didn't deserve to die today, but such is what the fates dictate. At least, you will be able to join her."

 _Her._

"Mayu…" Aya didn't want to go to a place where she could see Mayu again. She didn't want to sit on top of some cloud, trying to avoid Mayu for the rest of her afterlife. Even if Mayu forgave her, she couldn't forgive herself. She wouldn't know what to do with an eternity of clouds and having everything she ever wanted, but nothing she needed.

Then again, who said they were going to the same place? She's done much worse things than Mayu. It was enough to put the difference between heaven and hell between them.

Though honestly, she'd prefer thinking there was nothing after life. Just a void. You just disappear into the space that was once a living being—vanish on the spot. If that was the case, she'd never have see Mayu again. And she'd never see _him_ again either.

 _Him?_ He came to her like a tangential afterthought. His image suddenly flashed in her mind, unclear and unreadable. Just like him. She didn't want to dwell on him. He was nothing but broken trust now. A liar and a thief. Emptiness wrapped in paper and ink and blood and bones. She didn't want to die thinking about him.

"Ahhh, it hurts…" she moaned childishly. She'd welcome the pain if it took him off her mind.

The man said nothing. "I'll end the pain quickly now." She could sense a concentrated amount of Nen forming in his right arm. It was his explosive orb, though smaller and weaker than what he had used in the earlier fight. Well, she supposed he didn't need too much power to kill her now.

She couldn't fight now. She closed her eyes and relaxed her body. Sheaccepted _._

As his Nen orb drew closer, one last thought crossed her mind.

 _Who ordered the kill?_

These were her last moments and she understood nothing about them.

* * *

 ** _The Beginning. Ten Years Ago._**

Meteor City welcomed everything, but it was not a hospitable place for anyone.

The mafia's presence was a given and of course, one naturally expected high rates of disease and poverty. Even the softest of citizens (if they could even be called that) were often made desperate enough to kill for food and money. It was a scary place for anyone and even scarier when you were an eight-year old girl.

Aya needed money… or food. She'd prefer both, but she'd take what she can get.

It's been four years since she and Mayu, her sister, got here. They were both orphans, of course. They couldn't remember how they got to Meteor City, but a few people attested to seeing a black car drop off two toddlers on one hot July day. That was it. They came knowing just their names and how to cry for a mom that, for some reason, never came anymore.

But that was years ago and they have since grown up… just a little.

"Mayu, stay here," Aya instructed as she put down the switchblade she had been playing with, "I'm going to get food."

Mayu looked up from her book. "… Alright. Stay safe," she replied softly.

Aya nodded, tucking the switchblade in her pocket. "You too."

She never liked leaving Mayu alone, but taking Mayu along these theft missions was more dangerous. Mayu wasn't as fast as she was and she had a habit of looking back a lot—probably out of guilt—which slowed her down even more. When they first got here, they scavenged for food. But it wasn't an efficient solution. Sometimes, days of searching would pass by without so much as an apple core turning up. So Aya figured taking was better than waiting. But the first time they decided to steal together, Mayu nearly got caught when she tripped after looking back at the angry shopkeeper chasing them. Aya had to run back for her and they only barely escaped when Aya grabbed some steel pipes from a heap of scrap metal and threw them at the shopkeeper. They managed to make it back to their Spot safely though Mayu had bruises on her hands and knees. Aya made the conscious decision Mayu wasn't suited for thievery. That was three years ago.

Their Spot was where they were now. It was located in one of Meteor City's designated junkyards for cars. The cars there were stacked on top of each other in a line like bricks. Their Spot was one jeep that had its back door ripped off; if you just climbed up five other cars, you could reach it. They found it three years ago and it has since been known as their "Spot." It wasn't completely safe with how it sometimes shook under their weight nowadays, but it kept them reasonably dry when it rained and provided at least some place for them to sit and store items they find. It was almost enough to call a home.

Aya climbed down from their Spot, all the while trying to figure out where to go. It'd be nice if she could take back enough for a week so she could stay with Mayu until they ran out of food again. She took another look at Mayu out of concern only to see she was sitting with her leg was dangling out of the jeep. She looked to be content and at ease, but it made Aya want to smack herself. Couldn't she sit any less conspicuously? This was what made Mayu such an easy victim.

"Hey, keep out of notice while I'm away," Aya called. She couldn't hear if Mayu replied, but it was clear she assented when her leg withdrew into the vehicle. Aya breathed a sigh of exasperation. Her worry was not totally alleviated, but she could finally begin walking towards the city area where the buildings all were.

* * *

The city wasn't exactly far, but Aya was sweating by the time she got there. Meteor City was hot this time of year and the effect needed to be experienced to be understood. Aya wiped off a bead of sweat. _Guess we'll need water too. I'll have to make two trips._

When she got close to the market area, she hid in one of the dark, narrow alleyways off of the main street. _Where now?_

She couldn't exactly bring back a slab of uncooked beef so she probably wasn't going to the butler's stand. Bertha sold medicinal herbs, which Aya didn't need, but Bertha was also elderly and half-blind so Aya could just steal her cash and run. But that meant she wouldn't be able to return to the main street to use that money for the rest of the day since everyone would have seen and recognized her. That defeated the purpose. Okay, it had to be food; she could come back for the money another time, after they've gotten the food.

"Hmm."

Cherry had her fruit stand open. Some peaches would be a nice treat in this kind of weather and Mayu loved sweets. A small smile emerged. "Sorry, Cherry," she hummed as her muscles tensed. Her bare feet dug into the dry earth and she left a distinct footprint even in the hard ground as she dashed.

It took Cherry a second to register the shadowy figure she had seen in front of the stand was the little girl that was now running north with several of Cherry's peaches in her arm.

"HEY, COME BACK HERE, YOU BRAT!"

Aya snorted and as she veered left, she noticed the bakers' stand was an arm's length away. Thinking quickly, she reached her arm out and grabbed a loaf of bread from the bakers' stand before disappearing into another alley. By the time Cherry got there, no trace of Aya was seen.

"Che," Cherry sneered, "Worthless brats." She walked back to her stand.

* * *

Underneath the hot sun on the rooftop across from Cherry's stand was a boy who had been watching the moment Aya arrived, though the fact was left unrealized by everyone. He watched until Aya disappeared from behind the seventh building book he was reading was momentarily forgotten.

"She's fast."

* * *

"Mayu!" Aya came back to their Spot wearing just the slightest smile. The mission was a success; she even got a loaf of bread which she hadn't planned on taking. This was perhaps one of her greatest thefts. Mayu peeked out of the vehicle.

"Welcome back!" Mayu beamed. She gave Aya a quick onceover and seeing no noticeable injuries, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Catch!" Aya tossed up the peaches one by one. There were five in total. Mayu caught them all and stowed them in the jeep. Once Aya's hands were free, she stuck the bread between her teeth and climbed up.

Mayu offered a hand when Aya got closer, but Aya shook her head and simply pulled herself up with ease.

"You've gotten stronger. I still need your help when I try to get up on my own," Mayu commented, retracting her arm. She took the bread from Aya and placed it behind the seats where the peaches were.

Aya scoffed and dismissed her worries with a wave of her hand. "Just give it a few months. You'll get there."

"I don't think I'll ever catch up to you," Mayu said with a fond smile. She grabbed one of the peaches from the back to eat and offered another to Aya.

"No, thanks. I already ate one on the way back so help yourself," Aya declined with a smile. Not true, but Mayu didn't need to know that. Mayu needed the nutrition more than she did. "And don't worry about it. You can leave the food worries and money stuff to me. Go read your books or whatever, nerd."

Mayu giggled, biting into her peach. "Alright, one book, coming up." Holding the peach in her mouth, she picked up her book and resumed reading.

Aya watched her flip the pages silently. The sun was beginning to set now and the orange hues gave Mayu a lovely glow. She looked feminine. Even the way she ate the peach seemed delicate and ladylike. In ten years, she'd probably be beautiful and if she wasn't in Meteor City, Mayu could have even been normal.

Aya always wondered what would have happened if they lived normally. They'd have a normal house, white picket fence, and a mom and dad who would love them and give them food to eat. Maybe they'd have a backyard where they could play ball together. Or perhaps not; Mayu was never really the running and jumping kind of kid. It was a shame since Aya liked that sort of thing; she was good at it. Maybe Mayu could have stayed inside reading lots of nice books, especially the romance ones she liked, and help their imaginary mom bake and cook. Aya could go climb trees on her own and get yelled at later when she broke an arm or something. That would have been nice.

 _Well, even if we don't live in a normal place with a normal family, Mayu can still relax and read,_ Aya thought as she leaned back and stretched her legs. Aya would just have to work a little harder and protect her. That was fine; she was the older sister anyway. She should be able to do at least that.

"It's hot, isn't it?" Mayu suddenly said as she tossed the peach pit away.

"Yeah—oh, fuck, that reminds me," Aya said, springing up from her seat with haste. "I was supposed to make a second trip to grab some water bottles." The enormous success of the first mission left her forgetting her second objective. She should have been more careful.

Mayu instantly looked uncomfortable. Of course. She didn't like taking without paying, even if she wasn't the direct committer. But she couldn't stop Aya from stealing; there was no way they'd survive otherwise. It'd be best if they could grow up quickly, find jobs, stop stealing, and lead normal, healthy lives.

"Aya, you can do it another time. We're fine now. Besides, the sun is setting. It's dangerous at night," she called after her sister who was already making her descent.

"No, it would be better to at least grab a couple of water bottles now. Water is heavy so I'd need to make multiple trips anyway. I should get a couple today and go back tomorrow."

Mayu looked uncertain, but Aya was already on the ground.

"Wait, I'll come with you," Mayu suddenly said. She put away her book and began to climb down after her sister, much to Aya's confusion. She didn't like the idea of it. Mayu would be taking an unnecessary risk.

"No, stay here. There's no need for you to come," Aya insisted.

"I can help you carry the bottles. Water is heavy and if you tried to carry it by yourself, you won't make it back by nightfall," Mayu said sternly. Aya rubbed the back of her neck. It was her turn to feel uncertain now.

"I'll carry less, if you want, but you should still stay here."

"No, nonsense! It's about time I stretched my legs. Let me go with you," Mayu pouted. She was being stubborn, but Aya didn't seem ready to give in. Concern was written all over her face and as nice as it was to have a dependable older sister who cared a great deal for her, Mayu didn't want Aya to do everything alone. Having Aya bearing the physical and mental burden of providing for the two of them was unfair enough. But for Aya, the biggest concern possibly of putting Mayu in danger and in turn, losing her.

They remained at a standstill until Mayu broke the silence.

"I won't be a burden. I just want to help you carry the bottles. You can tell me where to stand and wait for you. I won't go near the shops if you don't want me to. I just want to make sure you're back by nightfall," she said softly, almost shyly.

Aya bit her lips. Mayu was being particularly persistent, though Aya could understand her worries. "Alright, but you listen to everything I say. And I mean everything, okay?"

Mayu's expression instantly brightened. "Okay!"

* * *

"Stay here," Aya instructed. They were five junkyards away from the shopping district which was a fairly safe distance away. Aya planned on walking a little further up so as to give her more distance and time to lose the shopkeeper if they chased after her.

Mayu nodded obediently and with such earnest, Aya was left with the impression Mayu really didn't grasp how dangerous it could get. What if the shopkeeper chased them? What if they were armed? Aya could probably handle them herself; she knew the usual tactics—running zig-zags and creating distractions by improvising items—but Mayu didn't.

Well, Aya had only been shot at three or four times. It was pretty rare. Most weapons belonged to those dealing with the mafia so shopkeepers and civilians didn't usually have them.

 _Still…_ Aya looked around. This junkyard had a lot of scattered furniture. Mayu should hide behind something. Mayu was vulnerable to attacks if she was left out in the open; angry shopkeepers and mafiosos weren't the only threats. There were many gangs in the city that would attack anyone for food or money and some specialized in forcefully taking young girls for whatever unsavvy business they indulged in. Mayu would be an easy target.

"Hide in there," Aya pointed at a refrigerator wedged in a pile of trash.

"Okay," Mayu rushed over and closed herself off inside. She didn't seal it completely because of course that would be a stupid way to die.

Aya loitered for a minute longer to make sure the area was clear and no one was watching them. Satisfied, she ran to the marketplace. The unsettling feeling still weighed heavily in her mind, but try as she might to get rid of it, she knew it wouldn't go away until they got back to their Spot—until Mayu was safe. _Let's get this over quickly._ She disappeared behind the buildings.

* * *

By pure coincidence, the rooftop boy managed to catch the entire scene while on his way back to an inn. He had concealed his presence instinctively when he noticed the two of them approaching and waited motionlessly on the roof of a nearby building as he watched out of curiosity.

"So there are two of them," he observed. They looked fairly similar, though he deduced it was probably the green-eyed one he had seen earlier. She seemed to be protective of the other one so it couldn't have been the other one he saw running alone earlier. He tapped a pen to his chin. They were rather young. Orphans, probably. Those weren't uncommon. Surviving siblings were rare however; usually at least one would die from the harsh conditions of Meteor City.

 _Hmmm…_ He decided he'd like to see what else they could do. He leapt over to the next rooftop to observe the green one.

He found her after a minute. She was the fluttering shadow at the end of the alleyway.

"It's Zetsu," he noted with surprise. Years of stealing must have taught her how to conceal her presence. He hadn't sensed her, though her hair shifting slightly in the breeze gave her away. She should tie it or cut it.

Even under his watchful eyes, she was fast. It was over in ten seconds. The theft took two seconds and it took another second for the clerk to notice. The chase lasted seven seconds before he completely lost the girl.

"Impressive." She was almost as fast as he was.

She was already heading towards the junkyard where her sister was waiting. He followed after her.

* * *

 **AN:** The plan here is to start a lot of stories and don't even get halfway through them before starting another.

Hunter x Hunter is new (actually old) obsession (resurrected obsession to be honest). Reread Yu Yu Hakusho, reread Hunter x Hunter, and now I'm in the middle of watching the 2011 anime!

Anyway, this story is a little weird just because I have two OCs (and a few more minor ones). I usually try to limit the number of OCs in my... OC stories, which sounds a little silly considering you already added one OC so... why not more? I hope it's not too much.

Please review! I will update you soon since I already have the next chapter written.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Little Help, Please?**

Aya had grabbed two medium sized bottles of water. Clean water was hard to come by naturally in Meteor City since the place served as a dumping ground. Who knows how many things have contaminated the water? Rainwater used to be safe, but with pollution nowadays, there was risk involved. The only safe option was purified store-bought water.

"Hey, Mayu, I'm ba—" she stopped. The fridge door was left wide open. Panic set in immediately. Heart pounding, she dropped her water bottles and looked around frantically.

"Mayu? Mayu!" she cried desperately. She dashed around the trash heap. Nothing. The next trash heap. No one. Next one. Nobody. Aya's heart was racing. The unsettling feeling in her stomach grew exponentially in size. Mayu… Mayu… Aya could hardly breathe. "Mayu, where are you?!"

"Aya!"

Aya turned around to see Mayu running towards her, looking frightened. Aya could feel her entire body tense up and relax again. She ran over to meet Mayu.

"Where were you?" she asked, breathing a sigh of relief as she pulled her sister into a hug.

"I-I heard someone screaming. I thought it was you and I ran over. There was a gang and t-they were beating up a boy. I think they wanted money or something. They didn't see me s-so I came back."

"I told you to stay put!" Aya chided, though with less severity than she wanted. Honestly, she was just glad to see Mayu was okay. She let Mayu go with a relieved smile. "Well, at least you're safe now. Let's head back." Aya picked up the water bottles again and began trotting off.

"No! We should help the boy!" Mayu cried, pulling Aya back. "Come on!"

"You're kidding," Aya said, incredulously. "That'd be incredibly stupid of us. We'd be putting ourselves in unnecessary risk."

"Please, Aya! If it was me, you wouldn't hesitate to go. We can't leave the boy there. He might die!" Mayu held onto Aya's arm fixedly.

"That kind of shit happens all the time here, Mayu. It's none of our business. Let's just go," Aya said, trying to reason with her, but Mayu just clung onto her arm more fiercely. Frustrated, Aya tried to shake off her hold. "Let it go, Mayu. Come on," Aya said, annoyed. To her surprise, Mayu let go suddenly.

"Finally. Okay, this way," Aya sighed. She took just a couple steps before Mayu interrupted again.

"…I'm going to go."

Aya was suspended in disbelief. " _Fuck, Mayu!_ " Aya cried, exasperated. "This isn't the time or place for your idealism. This is Meteor City! We're not going to beat the bad guys just because we think we're doing the 'right thing'! The 'right thing' can get you killed right now, Mayu!"

Never in their four years of living in Meteor City had they come across such a predicament—not together, at least. Aya had seen these sorts of things happen when she went out on her own, but she just ignored them. Mayu, if she went out, only went to isolated areas to scavenge for books; this was the first time she had seen something like this. And it was apparent she couldn't handle it.

"I want to help him. I want to at least try," Mayu insisted. "I'm going to go—alone, if I must."

Aya smacked herself. She couldn't protect Mayu from her own crazy _fucking_ ideas. So what now?

She growled and flung the water bottles she had been holding into the fridge and slammed the door. Then, looking straight into Mayu's eyes, she declared:

"I'll go, but on the condition _you_ don't do anything. You don't know how to handle dangerous situations. You sit back and watch. If I get in trouble, you run and get help." She paused. "Well, not a lot of people will want to come to my aid, but you can probably find a rival gang willing to take them on or something."

Mayu was thrilled. Her blue eyes shimmered with joy. "Okay!"

"Alright. Remember, you can't get caught. If you get caught, there's definitely no way we'll get out of it. You have to _run_ and _get help,_ okay? If I get in trouble, I'll stall for time until you come back with help, but if you get caught too, there's no hope and _I will most definitely die_. Got that?" Aya said sternly.

Mayu hesitated to answer. Aya just stared unsympathetically back.

"Alright, yes, I understand," Mayu said quietly.

Aya peered into Mayu's eyes, trying to detect any lies—any unsaid conditionals in Mayu's promise like _if you're on the ground bleeding to death because all your limbs managed to get sliced off in less than a minute, this contract is null._ But Mayu steeled herself and it seemed she was now brimming with determination. Well, it was good she complied. If Aya didn't emphasize the point that she would die should Mayu get herself involved, Mayu might not have listen. For now, it seemed like Mayu would obey and run if need be. This was the best Aya could get from her. She sighed. She couldn't believe Mayu was doing this. She couldn't believe _she_ _herself_ was doing this.

They started running together with Mayu leading the way.

"How many of them are there?" Aya asked.

"Five."

"How big?"

"They each looked fifteen or so. The little boy looked four."

"Tch." That was how old they were when they arrived in Meteor City.

From the corner of her eye, Aya noticed a steel pipe glinting in the moonlight, sticking out from the pile of trash. So it was night, much to her annoyance. They should have returned to the Spot by now.

"Alright, let's get this over with," she muttered, grabbing the pipe.

* * *

"A steel pipe?" the boy almost laughed at how dull her weapon of choice was.

He was following after the pair, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. This little detour was turning into quite an adventure. Well, he couldn't deny that he was interested to see how this would end.

He decided he'll just watch a little longer.

* * *

Truth to be told, Aya only needed to take one look at them to know she couldn't handle them. She was fast, but not fast enough to pop in there, knock all five of them down with a steel pipe, grab the kid, and run. But at this point, she couldn't back out. Mayu was huddled next to her with a determined look on her face. If Aya didn't go, Mayu would.

 _What to do…_

"Give us your money, brat," the tallest one demanded.

"I-I dun' have none!" The boy was crying, curled up on the ground with arms protecting his head.

"YOU'RE LYING!"

One of them kicked the boy, who cried in pain.

What was this? A bad movie scene? What's the point of beating up someone for something they didn't have? This was stupid. This was like a poorly written bullying scene. Why did Aya have to get involved?

"GIVE UP THE MONEY!"

"I have nuh-thing!"

"Your parents DIED and left you a FUCKING FORTUNE! Give us your fucking money!"

What the hell? So the boy did have money? Or maybe he didn't? What's going on?

Mayu poked Aya on the shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Come on, Aya!"

Right. Now wasn't the time to be trying to figure out whether the boy had money or not. It didn't matter—not in the moral sense at least, which meant it didn't matter to Mayu. Aya was expected to rush in there and save the boy regardless. Resigning herself to the stupidly inevitable outcome, Aya got herself into position.

"Alright, wish me luck." And she dashed in.

They didn't notice her at first and Aya managed to hit the closest one on the head with as much force as she could muster. She swung at him from the side and for good measure, swung again from the top to make sure she knocked him out. He fell to the ground unconscious.

Three seconds.

The other boys have noticed her now and were rushing at her. The one who came closest got jabbed in the throat in order to push him away. If she had been wielding a spear, it would have been lethal. But it wasn't, so she had to swing the pipe at his head. His face slammed against the brick wall and he was out.

Another three and a half seconds.

The other three boys caught her. One pulled the pipe out of her hands and the other two rushed to her side to pin her down against the wall.

"Augh, let me go!" Aya shrieked, kicking wildly. But unsurprisingly, two fifteen-year old boys were stronger than her eight-year old self.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Who the fuck do you think you are? Why would we let you go when you knocked out two of our friends?"

Those were all very valid points, but Aya didn't stop screaming. "Let me go, motherfuckers!"

"You were a fucking idiot if you thought you could take us all on."

She hadn't, but the least she could do was struggle against them. She just hoped Mayu was on her way to get help now. For now, she had to stall.

"Who the fuck are you?" they demanded.

"None of your business, assholes!"

"It's our business when you knock down two of our friends!"

Aya snarled, "So what did that boy do to you then, huh? Murder your parents or something?"

"I'm gonna fucking kill you!"

His fist was at her face in a second. Aya could feel her face swelling up already. Her tooth had cut her mouth and she was bleeding internally now. She said nothing as the first drops of blood pooled from her chapped lips. Her eyes said it all—she felt _nothing._

The boy was not pleased with her response. He decided to try a different route.

"So a fucking pipe, huh?" the boy said with sadistic malice. He held her pipe, gripping it firmly as he tapped it on the ground. Aya watched him silently. Suddenly raising it above his head, he shouted, "Let's see how you lik—UGH!"

"Z-Zach?!"

The boys holding her down released her and crouched beside the boy, Zach, now lying on the floor unconscious.

Aya blinked, trying to comprehend what she had just seen. Certainly, it was dark and she wasn't totally aware of her surroundings, but she could swear she saw something fall and hit the boy on the head, knocking him down instantly.

Suddenly, two other objects followed suit and fell on the remaining two boys. They too collapsed to the floor.

She took a closer look. They were bricks, she realized. Someone dropped bricks on their heads.

She stood in stunned silence for a second before coming to her senses and looking up.

"Is someone there?" she shouted. No reply came and she couldn't see anyone on the rooftop.

"Well…" she said uncertainly. "Thanks, if there's anyone here," though she felt a bit self-conscious that there was a definite possibility she was talking to air. She gingerly stepped around the boys' unconscious bodies and walked to the little child who was lying on the ground, crying.

"Hey, are you hurt?" Aya whispered, trying to help him sit up. The boy just kept bawling.

"Can you walk? Where do you live, kid?" Aya prodded gently.

"U-ugh… my leg…"

"Is it hurt?" Aya asked, looking down to examine him. _Ah._ His left leg twisted and elongated unnaturally. That's why he didn't run away. Aya looked around for some help; she wasn't sure how to move someone with a broken leg. Mayu must have run off to find help when she saw Aya being cornered. Well, that was good. They could wait for her.

 _…_ _But not here_ , she thought, taking a second look at the teenaged boys lying on the ground.

"Hey, my sister went to look for help. She'll come back with someone. For now, let's get away from here, okay?"

* * *

"That should do," the dark-eyed, dark-haired eleven-year-old boy on the rooftop declared contentedly. A pile of bricks lay at his feet.

"I wonder if she realizes those three are dead," he mused to himself. Though it didn't matter in the end. The girl was still trying to move the boy, probably heading for the main streets. It was a good call on her part; they'd be safer in the company of other civilians—though now the threat was no longer there.

In the distance, he noticed the other girl running back to the alley with an adult man and woman in tow. He didn't have to stay to see the end; he had seen more than enough.

"Looks like it's time for me to head back."

* * *

 **AN:** Hello.

I'm excited for the upcoming chapters because that's when they actually interact.  
Please leave me a review if you can! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Meet Me at the Dingy Bookstore Down the Street (I'll be waiting)**

 **SEVEN YEARS LATER**

Chrollo Lucilfer was searching for something. Something… important. It wasn't as though some piece was missing in his life; rather, he felt he didn't understand something… but he didn't know what it was he didn't know. He had no leads on what it was that he was looking for because he didn't know what he was looking for. And he didn't know what drove him to search because he didn't feel anything for it. It wasn't ambition or desire that moved him. He just did it.

Yes, it baffled him too.

He was now eighteen years old—that was eighteen years of traveling around the world, fighting and honing his skills, reading various materials of various origins, and meeting many people who each saw the world in their own way. It was eighteen years of searching without progress. Eighteen years still feeling like a hollow vessel, unsure what he was meant to hold—unsure what his purpose was.

And now he was thinking perhaps it was time for a change of pace.

But first, he had to return to Meteor City and gather his associates.

* * *

The boy Aya and Mayu rescued seven years ago was named Raen. He was taken in by his aunt in Meteor City after his parents had passed away. They had left him with not much despite Raen's aunt, Dixie, explaining they had been rather rich while alive. But Raen arrived in Meteor City holding just a bag of clothes and an ugly wooden statue, which sat on Dixie's floor collecting dust for seven years.

Dixie was a bright and loving woman who invited Aya and Mayu over after hearing they had rescued Raen. However, it was clear to the sisters that Dixie really did not have much herself. She had a job as a part-time clerk in a small bookstore, but only earned enough to put a little food on the table for Raen and herself. When she was not working, she was taking care of Raen in her small hut with very little furniture. It was smaller now that there was one more growing boy living in it. The one cot she had was now shared between her and Raen.

Raen's broken leg was taken care of by Dixie's savings. She was utterly broke now, but knowing Raen would recover fine was all that mattered.

She had also offered to take in the orphan girls. "What little I have to offer is yours," she had said, grateful that Aya and Mayu would rescue her sister's child who was now her own child.

"We can't," Aya and Mayu declined together. It would have been impossible for various reasons, but food was the major issue. Dixie couldn't provide for three orphaned children so Aya would have to steal (as if she wasn't doing that already). If the shop people knew Dixie housing a thief, Dixie might have been ostracized and lost her job.

It was Mayu who explained this point to Dixie and Dixie, though saddened, remained understanding.

Still, Dixie wanted them to visit often. "Please come every now and again to see Raen and I. We'd really love to have your company." That was when Raen, still so young and hopeful, looked up at them sweetly.

"Of course." Mayu couldn't refuse Raen's puppy-like expression.

And so whenever Aya came back to the Spot with an abundance of (stolen) foods—she had gotten faster, stronger, and stealthier as time went by, aiding in her thefts—the two would drop by to give some to Dixie and Raen. It was uncomfortable at first, partly due to the origin of the food and the fact Dixie didn't feel it was right to take food from orphaned girls, but Aya and Mayu insisted that the crime was already committed so they should accept it. They eventually came to an understanding. Aya stole things—food, clothes, money—and they were given to Dixie and Raen.

They developed a relationship that way and as the years went by, it grew to be a close friendship. To Mayu, it was nice having other people besides Aya to talk to, share things with, and rely on. To Aya, they were good company for Mayu while she was away—they made her happy—and Aya also enjoyed playing with Raen, who loved to run, climb, and jump around like she did. Aya and Mayu genuinely loved Dixie and Raen who treated them like family, and vice versa.

That was how fifteen-year old Aya one day found herself visiting Dixie in the bookstore she worked in.

Walking through town wasn't an easy thing for Aya nor Mayu. Aya's face was well-remembered by many merchants for having been slighted by her in the past years and Mayu was sometimes mistaken for Aya, which was never a good thing. So when they visited Dixie, they changed up their appearance. Mayu would wear her hair up and tie it back with a long pastel-colored ribbon. Aya opted for a sports cap with all her long strands tucked inside.

Aya often thought the townspeople must be really stupid for these disguises to actually work. Well, it worked to their benefit so she couldn't complain.

Today, she had stolen some bread and jam. It wasn't too bad for a day's work of stealing. Aya thought Dixie would appreciate it so she popped on a cap and packed some in a bag for delivery.

"Hi, Dixie," she greeted as she walked through the door. The sound of the bell chime rang through the dusty little store to announce her entrance. She spotted Dixie behind the counter, alert and dutifully watching over the store. She wore a polite, respectful expression when receiving Aya.

"Aya, hello," Dixie said with a smile. "Are you here to check out some books? What a busy day for our humble little shop! We have another customer here today as well in the back."

That was Aya's cue to not talk about anything incriminating here. _Now is not the time to mention how you're a lying, thieving criminal._ Aya nodded subtly to indicate she got the message as she stepped over a pile of books to approach the counter Dixie sat behind.

"Yeah, I figured I'd give Mayu a nice surprise and buy a book for her since I've got some money now," Aya said honestly. Well, the money itself wasn't honest, but it didn't matter. It was a good way to support Dixie's job while procuring materials for Mayu to peruse. "By the way, I brought you lunch. It's not much—just some bread, a little grape jam, and water." She dropped the small white bag with the foodstuff on the counter. Dixie accepted it appreciatively.

"Thank you, Aya," she said, pulling the water bottle out for a sip. It was hot in the store since it was cluttered with so many books. "Is Mayu with Raen today?"

"She was still at our Spot reading when I left her. She said she would drop by to play with Raen when she finished her book though," Aya answered absent-mindedly. She had picked up a book and was casually flipping through it.

"Oh, splendid," Dixie clasped her hands together in delight. She was always pleased to hear Raen wouldn't be spending another day alone in the little hut.

Aya put the book down on the counter and pointed to the back section of the bookstore. "Do you mind if I look around?"

"No, not at all. Take your time," Dixie gestured freely at the entire store. Aya nodded and walked toward the back shelves.

The mission today was finding something Mayu would like. Mayu generally loved reading all sorts of things, but recently Aya noticed her reading a lot of coming-of-age romance novels. Aya was grinning when she realized it too. It was so cute. Mayu had always liked romance, but now she's moved on from fairytales to young adult books about love and life. Mayu was so pure-hearted.

Anyway, Aya decided to surprise Mayu with a nice, classic love story. But first, she had to find one.

She ran her fingers across the spines of several books, dusted off a couple, and tried to figure out how to discern a good love story from a bad one. _Hm…_ It was surprisingly hard. Perhaps Aya wasn't cultured enough.

The one she held in her hand was about the mafia… was that too weird? She scratched her head, lost in thought.

"Looking for something?" someone asked, coming up from behind. The voice took Aya by surprise. How creepy; she hadn't noticed anyone approaching and after years of stealing and eluding people's attention, things like that didn't usually slip past her radar.

And, to Aya's horror, he wasn't even an inconspicuous man. He was really attractive, only a couple years older than her. Dark eyes, dark hair, tailored suit. A strange character helped by good looks.

"Um… just browsing," she answered vaguely, looking away. Frankly, he was creeping her out, though she didn't want admit it. And although his polite expression betrayed nothing, there was no way she was going to let her guard down now that she's aware of him. It wasn't fear per se, but her instincts were telling her to be cautious of this stranger.

There was most definitely something abnormal about him. Aya's mouth twitched.

"Is that so? May I offer a recommendation then?" he volunteered.

 _Say no,_ her mind screamed. _Get away._ Aya bit her lip.

"What did you have in mind?" Aya asked distrustfully.

The man smiled. "Well, how about this one?" He reached above her, bringing his body uncomfortably close to hers. Alarms went off in Aya's head and she immediately leaned away, a small act which didn't go unnoticed by the stranger. He only smirked, obviously amused by her reaction, before bringing down the book and offering it to her. " _Jane Eyre_ is a well-loved classic. There's a bit of everything—love, regret, longing, redemption, and so forth. Perhaps you'll enjoy it."

She hesitated. It sounded good, but the man offering it seemed far more interested in her than the book.

"…Okay," Aya conceded, reaching for it. "It's not for me, but still, I'll take it. Thanks." She had decided she was ready to end this conversation with him. She didn't like him. But as she placed her hand over it, trying to take it from him, she realized he wasn't letting go. Her eyes darkened.

"Are you giving me this book or not?" she huffed, aggravated. She immediately regretted it. His eyes were probing as if he was conducting an unauthorized search in her mind. And his gaze was equally unsettling—they were entirely devoid of light or warmth. A cold, calculative man in sheep's clothing—or rather, a nice suit.

He watched her like he was memorizing her features. The green of her eyes, the sharpness of her face, and the way her hair looked in that cap. His surface was cheerful and charming, but his expression was frigid and ungiving. It was irritating and after a while, her skin was crawling from the tension. But to him, interacting with her was no different from a breezy little chit-chat—which was exactly what it was supposed to be had he not added this weird atmosphere to the situation.

 _He's fucking challenging me_ , she realized. _Well, if he wants a fight…_

Aya prepared herself, steadying her stance. The mood instantly shifted. The cluttered bookshelves marked the edges of the battlefield and the glint in her eyes was just starting to get serious. Then suddenly, the man released his hold.

"It's yours," he said innocently, retracting his hand from the book.

 _What?_

Aya looked down at the book now in her hands and back at him. The stranger, of course, only smiled back. Aya couldn't believe it. All the built-up tension in the air was gone now.

She stared at him for a long time before finally accepting the book and walking away. She didn't say another word to him. She paid quickly, said her goodbyes to Dixie, and left. The chimes at the door played a couple notes to mourn her exit.

The man lingered back just a while longer until the chimes finally stilled and echoed no more. Then he too quickly gathered the books he intended to buy, paid for them, and left.

* * *

AN: A short chapter. Hope you liked it! Leave me a review :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Wanted**

"That really happened to you?" Mayu marveled. Aya nodded, nibbling on a piece of bread. They were sitting in their Spot, backs against the car walls. Aya had just given Mayu the book launching into her story about the strange encounter at the bookstore.

"You really don't know that man?" Mayu asked for the fifth time since Aya began telling that story.

Aya shook her head vehemently. "I have no idea who he was. I've never seen him before. Have you? Did he maybe mistake me for you?"

"No, I don't think so. He doesn't sound like the kind of person either of us would know…"

Aya silently agreed. The man was obviously educated and richly dressed—poor orphans living in junkyards did not mix with people of such high caliber.

"You're right, Mayu. Perhaps he mistook me for someone else."

"Yeah. That's the only reason I can think of," Mayu agreed.

Aya finished off the last of her bread and dusted the crumbs off her hands. "So what were you up to, Mayu? How was your visit with Raen?"

"It was fun," Mayu said contently. "I taught him a little bit about the solar system. I think he liked it."

"That's good," Aya nodded. Aya quite liked Raen. He was a bright kid—a little weak sometimes, but always trying. And since he didn't go to school, Mayu sometimes taught him things she learned from books. Mayu loved that he was a fast learner. And Raen wanted to learn everything—completely indiscriminate with the things he wanted to know.

Sometimes he asked Aya to teach him things as well. But Mayu and Dixie would have been horrified if they knew that Raen was asking Aya for the ins-and-outs of how to be a successful thief so Aya shooed him away.

"By the way, Aya," Mayu suddenly said. "I'm thinking about getting a job."

"Oh?" Aya blinked back in surprise. "What kind of job?"

"Maybe a clerk or shopkeeper. Not a lot of places would take in uneducated orphaned teens, so it'd have to be simple."

"That's true," Aya agreed, though she pursed her lips in displeasure. It's not like they could help being orphans. And Mayu was plenty smart even without having gone to school.

"I'm just telling you I'll be job-hunting starting tomorrow so I might be away for most of day," Mayu explained.

"…Will you be alone?"

"Yes."

"…That's dangerous."

"You can't come with me," Mayu warned immediately because she knew exactly what Aya was going to say. "If there's a job interview, I can't have you there. What would I say? 'Oh, yes, this is my overprotective big sister. Please excuse her. She's just looking out for me.' I can't appear all sheltered like that. I need to seem confident and independent."

Aya was about to protest when Mayu cut in again.

"I know you're worried, but I'm fifteen now." Mayu made a pause to check and see if Aya was listening before continuing. "I have to learn to start taking care of myself. You can't just keep babying me, Aya. I want to be able to do my own things too. It's not fair to me nor you if I just sit back while you take care of us both. I'll feel like a burden, even if you don't think it. I just want to be able to contribute my share too now that I'm able. So please respect my decision."

When Mayu finished with a bright pleading smile, Aya remained completely silent. Honestly, she didn't know what to say. She didn't want Mayu to go, but Mayu seemed so determined. She couldn't possibly believe that Mayu, with her puffy cheeks and sweet, innocent eyes could handle being on her own. No, it really was impossible. And "be independent"? Of her? Truth was that Aya really did want Mayu to live a life without her—but she imagined it would have come in the form of Mayu falling in love and marrying a nice man who would take Mayu into his lovely suburban home where they'd lead normal, civilian lives together. And _then_ Aya wouldn't have to take care of her anymore. She'd finally be satisfied knowing Mayu was safe with a person she loved… a person Aya approved of first.

"So?"

"No."

Mayu huffed. "I'm going with or without your permission, Aya!" Mayu asserted, deathly serious.

Aya blinked as a hazy little memory conjured by the echo of her words surfaced in her mind. It's been years since she's heard Mayu argue against her. And that time, Aya gave in. But this time...

Aya shook her head.

"Alright. Do you best," she sighed.

Mayu always won.

"Really? Thank you!"

Mayu was ecstatic, which Aya believed was the only good outcome of this talk. Still, she resigned herself to the fact she could never go against Mayu. Maybe Aya was weaker than she thought.

When Mayu settled down, she realized logically, her sister would have never said yes. Perhaps there was a catch?

Mayu raised an eyebrow. "You can't follow me."

"I won't," Aya smiled, bemusement mixed with sincerity. "I trust you."

"…I better not see you around the southern district tomorrow."

"I'll stay with Raen tomorrow. I won't come close to you."

"…Okay, good." Mayu said, trusting and cheerful once again. "Good… and thank you."

Aya grinned. "You're welcome."

* * *

"The Phantom Troupe," Chrollo announced.

Chrollo stood in the center of a clearing, surrounded by six people—four men and two women. Each have earned his respect as capable fighters and exceptionally intelligent people. But most importantly, they were… similar to him in many ways. And they all held him in high regard as well. These were the people he had known for years and they were the closest to home he had. He trusted them.

And today, he gathered them to explain his vision.

"You will address me as Danchou. There will be thirteen members. I'll be the head and you will be the body. The rule is to follow the orders given by the head. My orders are your priority…" he paused to look each of them in the eye. "…But my life is not. I'm a part of the spider too. What's important is not that I live, but the spider survives."

Uvogin, Nobunaga, Franklin, Machi, Feitan, and Pakunoda listened to him without a word. They didn't have to say anything for Chrollo to understand—they accepted.

At that exact moment, the Spider was born. The world would know chaos.

"Are there any questions?" Chrollo asked.

Machi, the youngest, raised her hand. "Danchou, what will we be doing?"

"Killing and stealing, mostly," he answered smoothly. Machi's reaction showed she was satisfied. Feitan looked pleased as well.

Chrollo looked around to see if there were any more questions. No one raised their hands.

"I will be determining the remaining members over the next few months. You are all free to do as you wish until I contact you. Dismissed."

* * *

"Aya, you are restless today," Raen observed quietly from the floor of the hut.

Aya flipped around suddenly, staring at Raen with wide eyes. Aya had been sitting by the window, staring out distractedly the whole day. She realized she was fidgeting too when Raen called out to her.

"You know the world 'restless' now, huh, Raen?" Aya laughed. She got off her chair and seated herself beside the boy who was playing with some broken action figures. Aya and Mayu found them when they were scavenging the dumps.

Raen grinned. "Aren't I smart?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Aya teased.

Raen shrugged and toyed with his action figures some more. "So what is Mayu doing now that you're concerned about?"

"You know me so well," Aya said with a smile, taking one of Raen's action figures for herself. She moved around some of the limbs absent mindedly as she talked. "Mayu is trying to find a job, but I don't know. I don't like the idea of leaving her alone. She's visiting a bunch of stores on her own, asking to be hired. It's just not safe. She's so easy to take advantage of that way—more so than usual, I mean."

Raen listened attentively. "So why don't you go with her?"

"She thinks I'm bothering her. She says I'm babying her so she made me promise to stay away."

"You _are_ pretty overprotective of her," Raen commented. "You're protective of me and Aunt Dixie too, but Mayu is on another level."

Aya looked away guiltily. She didn't want Raen to think she didn't care about him and Dixie. But it was true that Mayu's importance exceeded theirs.

She tried to laugh it off. "…Haha. I like you guys too, but it's just… Mayu is my sister and she's not as strong." Then, with an assuring smile, she added, "You'll grow up to be very strong one day, Raen. I can trust you to take care of yourself when the time comes."

Raen smiled. "I'm not blaming you. We understand. But thank you."

Aya sighed wistfully. Raen was such a good kid. She wished she could afford to treat him better… but nothing could change the fact Mayu was her most valuable person. Aya frowned regretfully and silently pulled Raen in for a hug, which Raen accepted embarrassedly. He was in that stage where he didn't like to be touched or shown affection, but he couldn't reject the person who saved his life seven years ago.

"I'm sure Mayu will be fine, Aya. Why don't you just wait for her at the border of the southern district if you're so worried?"

Aya hesitated. "But Dixie hasn't returned yet. Will you be okay alone?"

"I'll be fine. You said I was strong, remember?" Raen assured. "Just go, Aya."

Aya pat him on the shoulder affectionately. "Thanks, Raen. See you later."

* * *

Every day for a month, Mayu went out to find a job, but ultimately came back tired and disappointed. Aya would be waiting for her at the border every evening to comfort her and walk her back to the Spot. At first, Mayu objected, but ultimately gave in when she was assured Aya hadn't been following her—just waiting for her.

"Are you still not giving up?"

"No, I'm not. I'll find work. Just give me time."

"Alright."

* * *

At the month's end, it was starting to get colder. It was less practical to be waiting outside alone in the that sort of weather. Still, Aya came to stand at the corner of the district after dropping off her day's "earnings" at Dixie's. As always, she waited patiently, though today she could feel goosebumps forming. It was chilly. Aya shivered, not particularly dressed up for the weather. She had thrown on a sweater over her usual shirt, but still wore her summer shorts. She stared worriedly in the distance. Mayu must have walked around a lot today in the cold. Had she dressed up warmly enough? What if she got sick? Aya started hopping up and down, impatiently trying to spot her sister.

Suddenly, she heard a voice—and it was not Mayu's. "Oh, it's you."

She turned around to see a tall, middle-aged man down the block looking at her. He started walking towards her as Aya observed silently.

He was losing his hair—Aya could tell by the way it was combed over. He had a pair of black sunglasses and wore a black suit, tightly fitted to the point she could see the outline of a hidden gun in his breast pocket. The man's body language was casual, but dominating. He kept his grubby hands in his pockets—he probably had some hidden weapon in it, prepared to use it at all times.

It all screamed mafia. Aya hesitated.

He looked drunk. It was still early evening. Aya tilted her head in thought. It was almost always easier to avoid drunks by acting normal. Don't instigate a fight; just let them go their way.

"Do I know you, sir?" she politely asked when he stopped right in front of her.

"Huh? 'Course, don't you remember?" he slurred. "Anyway, I've got a _great_ offer for you. Come with me." He grabbed her arm and forcibly started dragging her. Aya, who had been dumbfounded by his weird insistence he knew her, was too slow to react. When it hit her though, she tried to wring her arm free to no avail.

 _Fuck. What now?_

She decided to keep up the innocent girl façade for now. Maybe he'll let her go when he realizes she wasn't who he was looking for. If not, it would stall for time as she thought up an escape plan.

"Sir?" Aya said confusedly, forcing herself to remain polite even though she was already trying to think ways to break his hold., "Sir, where are you taking me? I don't know you!" He just grunted unhelpfully.

She was getting angry now. Her face go red in anger and her demeanor took a turn for the worse. "Hey, let me go!" she said, switching to full throttle mode. First, she tried twisting her arm away and using her free hand to push him off, but his grip was iron. _Fuck_. She switched tactics. With her other arm, she grabbed a section of his sleeve and pulled herself up to knee him in the back.

It worked. He dropped his hold on her from the sudden shock. Then, without sparing a second glance to check on his condition, Aya began running in the opposite direction at full speed.

But evidently, she wasn't fast enough.

She fell face first into the pavement. "Fuck!" she hissed from the pain. The bullet hit her right leg. It wasn't lethal, but she wouldn't be able to run away easily now. She raised her head to look back at the man, who ran up to her and hoisted her over his shoulder.

"Oh, you're really going to pay for that... Come on!"

"What the fuck! I don't even know you!" Aya screamed. "Someone help! HELP!"

"Oh, shut up, kid! We're almost there."

He didn't take her very far. The walk was far too short for anyone to have heard Aya's cries and come to her aid. He lived in the building right around the corner and when they arrived, he slammed the door and dropped her unceremoniously on the floor. She watched him lock the door.

"Who the fuck are you?" Aya shouted. She was trying to scramble up, but it was a slow process.

She noticed the room was small, furnished with just a bed, a table, and a stove to the side. There was small alcove where the bathroom was off to the right. And she was lying right between the table and the door.

"Are you kidding me? You came to the club twice last week begging for a job."

Aya blinked back at him, stunned. "What?"

"Don't you remember? You were on your knees, begging, pleading. ' _Please, sir!'_ Haha! Good shit. Got me turned on right away."

"The managers said you were too young, but they know nothing," he scoffed. "I like 'em young. The younger, the better, I'd say. And it doesn't hurt at all if you're desperate and needy too."

"What the hell are you talking about, you dirty old man?" Aya said, panicking. The image of Mayu pleading for a job in some disgusting club full of leering eyes flashed into her mind. _Mayu… WHAT THE FUCK._

"You wanted a job? I'm offering you one right now," he grinned sadistically. "Play with me and I'll give you 50,000 jennys. Not bad for a little orphan girl like you, eh? I gotta say, I _really_ wanted you, but the managers were just saying no. Those fuckers know nothin'."

"Play with you? No way in hell, motherfucker! Stay the fuck away from me and my sister!" Aya shrieked. She crawled over to the chair… and threw it at him. It landed right on target, hitting him in the stomach. But there was no time to celebrate. She hoisted herself up with the help of the table leg and tried to limp quickly to the door. She had her hand at the doorknob. She needed to get out. She needed to find Mayu and—

 _Bam._

" _FUCK!"_

Another bullet. Another leg.

"'Your sister,' you said?" he repeated coldly. "So it's not you. She had a sister. You're the girl's sister."

Aya didn't respond. She could only lay there on the floor, clutching her leg and gasping for air. The man walked over to her. Aya could still see the smoke emitting from the gun in his hand. He bent over and stuck his face uncomfortably close to hers.

She clenched her jaw and waited, eyes closed, for the cold metal of the gun to press against her head. She waited for the worst to come. She waited for a bullet to break her skull and blow her brains out.

But that wasn't it. She only heard cold slimy words as someone's mouth whispered disgustingly into her ear.

"…Oh, how fun." Shivers ran up her spine. "It did seem strange seeing how demure you were last time. So it was your sister who came to me tears in her eyes, begging and pleading. And you… you're the protective older one, I'm guessing."

Aya said nothing. She had obviously said enough. She had made the situation worse by talking.

"Does your leg hurt? Do you want to see a doctor?" he said in a mocking gentle tone. "Tell you what. I'm a merciful man. I'll take you to the doctor if you obey me and listen to everything I say. I'm an excellent marksman so I'll tell you right now I didn't hit anywhere that would cause you to die right away. You won't bleed to death for another five hours, at least. That's plenty of time. So we can take it slow… you and me."

Aya couldn't believe that just one minute ago, she thought the bullet through her head was the worst possible outcome.

"…I'd rather die."

The man laughed heartily. "You're in no condition to refuse. If you decline… well, I'll still fuck you. I'll fuck you, then leave you here to bleed to death while I go find your sister. If you agree, however, I'll take you to the doctor and I won't touch your sister. And…" He rubbed his oily chin with his fat fingers. "After you recover, we can make this a regular thing."

Aya was listening. He could tell she was listening.

As loathe as she was to do anything for this man, she had to play by his rules now—he knew that. She had to seriously weigh her options if she wanted to survive—or wanted Mayu to survive.

And there was only one option that made sense.

He watched as Aya suddenly raised her fists… and brought them down to the floorboards. The floorboards weren't scratched… but her knuckles were bleeding. He grinned; she was pissed.

"…Okay," she finally said.

He laughed heartily. "Smart girl. Good choice. Should I help you take off your clothes or would you like to do it yourself?"

She wanted to spit on him. "…Myself."

Aya began with her sweater, slowly pulling it over her head as she racked her brain for ideas to handle this situation. She was still weak and definitely couldn't run, but… if he was distracted in the middle of intercourse… maybe she could steal his gun and kill him. She had never killed anyone before… but she was willing to try.

She looked again at his piggish face.

Very willing.

She was going to do it.

Her sweater was off.

Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking resounded through the small room. She turned towards the window, now shattered. The glass fragments were falling to the floor and gathering at someone's feet. Her eyes moved up and saw… a young man standing in the litter of glass, illuminated by the white light from outside. The glow was enhanced by the refraction of light from the glass shards. She thought for a moment, he was shining. But she couldn't see his face. He was turned away from her, instead, facing the old man, who just sat on the bed looking helplessly shocked.

"W-who are you?" the old man shouted, angered.

"It doesn't matter," was the calm response.

Aya's eyes widened. She recognized this voice…

"A-argh!" The old man reached for his gun again, but he was too slow. The young man slashed his chest open with a knife. Had he always been holding a knife? Aya couldn't remember. She could only watch the old man fall down on the bed, painting the bedsheets with his blood.

The intruder sheathed the knife before coming to kneel down beside Aya. She just stared at him stupefied.

 _His eyes…_ They were like black holes—no light whatsoever.

"He's dead," he explained to her apathetically as he examined her injuries. She nodded dumbly. Deeming her unable to walk, he picked her up in his arms. She was too shocked to protest.

"I'll explain in a bit. For now, let's go somewhere else."

* * *

AN: Umm... hmmm... I remember not enjoying writing the scene with the mafia guy. I don't know. It was really disgusting, haha.

HMM, I WONDER WHO MYSTERIOUS RESCUER IS.


	5. Chapter 5

**Interest Meeting**

Aya was expecting a hospital, but instead, she got to sit in a clearing surrounded by more garbage. It was basically a junk heap that looked like any other junk heap. On the way, he had tried to hold her as still as possible in his arms to prevent unnecessary movements that would cause her pain, but it didn't really work—she still felt the pain of a million needles jabbing into her body. When they finally arrived, he placed her on the ground and began tending to her injuries.

"I'm going to pull the bullets out. I don't have anesthesia, but try to stay awake," he said, whipping out a pocket knife.

Seeing the blade incited the inner desire to scramble away fast, but she couldn't really move to that extent. Still, she was really hesitant. That was definitely going to be painful. She wanted to tell him _oh god just take me to a hospital_ , but she couldn't demand that from the man who just saved her life. So instead, she nodded.

The metal dug into her wound and ripped out the bullet, but not without causing excruciating pain. Aya's fingers dug into her palm as she clenched so tightly in response to the knife ripping bullet and flesh. She balled her fists and resisted the urge to punch the guy. It felt like forever to her— _when will the pain end_ —but in reality, the man was actually very quick and efficient; it didn't take more than two minutes to get both bullets out. Aya tried not to make any sounds or show any signs of pain throughout the operation and somehow— _somehow_ —succeeded and managed to live through it without fainting. But her face was pale and covered in cold sweat. The man gently held her bleeding limbs as he bandaged the wounds quickly.

"You should try to stay off those legs for a while. You'll recover fine, but you might not be able to sustain running for long periods of time after this," he said, once he was done. He pulled out a handkerchief to clean the blood off his hands. Aya, still breathing heavily, observed in silence.

He had a beautiful face, but his eyes were too strange to be likable.

But it was definitely him. She recognized him for certain.

"You're the man… from the bookstore," Aya stated between labored breaths. She would have said it more accusingly if she wasn't recovering from trauma.

"I am. How astute of you. My name is Chrollo," he smiled at her evidently pleased that she remembered.

Aya ignored his attempts at pleasantry. "So what are you, Chrollo—a creepy guy who likes to talk up girls at bookstores or a kind, benevolent hero who helps those in dire need?"

"Would you believe me if I said neither?" he answered.

Aya frowned with displeasure at his noncommittal response. "You better start talking."

"Where do I begin? Don't answer that, it was for me. Hmm… Well, I admit I didn't save you out of the goodness of my heart; I'm actually here to make you an offer. But first, I should tell you I've been watching you for a while."

He noticed as Aya's eyes widened in surprise before quickly turning hostile.

"How long?" she demanded.

"A month. I've been keeping tabs on you since I saw you again at the bookstore."

" _Again?_ What do you mean _again?_ " she repeated.

"Seven years ago, you saved a little boy—Raen, I believe—from a gang fight, didn't you? You got caught, but by some miracle, the three boys left standing were knocked out by some falling bricks. Don't tell me you thought those bricks were some form of divine intervention."

"… It was you," she realized, momentarily overcome with shock. She glared. "Why?"

Now it was his turn to be silent. He looked away thoughtfully.

"…Why?" he repeated mysteriously. He pondered back and forth. "I don't know myself. Perhaps I thought you had more merit than them. Certainly, your speed was impressive, even back then; it's unfortunate the man had managed to shoot you in the legs. Well, I suppose you can think of it as a blessing he didn't shoot a vital spot and your legs will recover fine."

"…And why were you watching me?"

She was asking the hard questions. "It was interesting, I guess. I left Meteor City seven years ago, just a couple of days after helping you out. I came back a few times after that, but I was mostly away. When I got back a month ago intending to gather my associates for a new ambition of mine, I saw you again. It was pure coincidence, but I wondered how much you would have grown," he replied.

That was it? He just did everything out of whim? He thought she was fast on her feet so he decided to stalk her for a month? It was a weaker answer than she had anticipated, but not entirely unbelievable given the circumstances. Aya searched his features for any hidden meanings—any sign he was lying or covering up something. It was hard to say with his poker face, but she couldn't find anything, which frustrated her to no end. Can she trust him or not?

"And what about that 'offer' or whatever?" Aya demanded.

Chrollo smiled. "You are willing to hear me out?"

Aya spat on the ground. Not really, no. She didn't want anything to do with him. Then, she remembered he had helped her twice now and he cleaned up her wound. So despite her better judgment, she decided to give him at least this much.

"…Since you've helped me twice now, I will hear your request or offer or whatever, but I can't promise anything," she sighed.

"That's fine," Chrollo allowed. "Then, I will explain my offer in a second. But first, a quick question."

"Ugh, what now? Make it quick."

"Did you really plan on sleeping with that man?"

Not the question she was expecting. At all. Aya gave him a blank look. "That's it? That's your question?"

"Yes. Your answer?"

"Che, yes. Was there any other option?" Aya rolled her eyes.

"No," he concurred. "You made the right choice in that situation." Then he added with an approving smile, "I like your determination."

She scoffed. "Can't say the same. The only thing I like about you is your face."

He didn't even blink at the comment. He was already satisfied with her answer.

"Now, about my offer… it's a position for you to join me. I'm putting together a band of thieves. Think of it as… a spider with myself as the head and the others, legs. I'd like you to join me—become my leg, so to say." He watched for her reaction; she didn't look satisfied. Apologetically, he added, "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more than that unless you join. I can, however, promise that I will make you much stronger than you are now should you join."

Aya frowned. "Is there something in particular you want to steal?"

"No," he shook his head. "We don't have an ultimate goal. We simply take what we want. I will issue commands sometimes, but you are free to do what you want between missions."

"Then what's the point of the group? And why steal?" Aya asked, confusedly.

"…Why not?" He turned towards the sun while stretching his arms out dramatically. "Here, in Meteor City, we aren't considered people by the world. Why not use it to our advantage? A world that doesn't know or even _think_ we exist—the possibilities are endless. In the hierarchy of the world, if the people refuse to see us as equals, then we rise above them[AS1] ."

When he turned around to face her, he found her face unreadable—neither a good or bad sign.

"What do you say, Aya?" he asked her softly.

That was the first time he said her name. Aya hadn't introduced herself, but she wasn't surprised he knew her name. He knew a lot about her, it seemed. She wished it was true the other way around. With a sigh, she gave him her answer—the one she didn't even have to think to know was her answer.

"There's nothing really in it for me," she stated passively, an indirect declination.

Chrollo looked at her appraisingly. "There's money." It was a shallow reason and no true Spider would fall for such an incentive, but he knew at that moment she did need money. She was poor, living in the back of an old jeep right dab in the middle of a junkyard. For now, if he can get her to focus on monetary gains to admit her into the Troupe, then that would be enough.

"…I'm sorry," she apologized with a degree of sincerity that surprised even herself. "Thank you for helping me earlier, Chrollo, but I cannot join you. Unfortunately, I have something more important to me than myself or the world and if I joined you, I'm afraid I'll be at risk of losing that." She was facing him, but she was looking at something else—seeing something else in the distance. "My priority can never be you or your orders." She liked to think he already knew that judging from how much he knew about her. She hoped he didn't know what she had been referring to though.

She couldn't tell though. All he did was look at her.

And he looked for a very long time. He took in her loose black hair falling out from under her cap, her electric green eyes that reminded him of the canopy of a tree he sat and slept under years ago, her shabby clothing—loose-fitted shirt, the fabric of which only met her skin when the wind blew up against her—and broken legs, still months away from recovery. He looked and let out a sigh.

"Very well. I understand."

But he didn't.

* * *

 **AN:** It's been a while, haha. This is what's left from what I had written up from five months ago when I first started this story. It's pretty short.

Not sure when the next update will be since I haven't begun the next chapter, but reviews would probably help push me to write more.


End file.
